Thank You Ma'am - Langston Hughes | BOSEM Class IX English Literature Reader

Board of Secondary Education Manipur
Class: 9
English Literature Reader (Prose)
Chapter: 2

Thank You Ma'am

Langston Hughes

Summary

The story "Thank You, Ma’am" revolves around two main characters: Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, a direct and compassionate woman, and Roger, a fifteen-year-old boy who learns a valuable lesson after attempting to steal her purse. The narrative begins with a depiction of a woman, later identified as Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, carrying a large bag slung over her shoulders containing nearly all her necessities. Walking alone on the street at eleven o’clock at night, she feels someone tug the strap of her bag. However, the bag is too heavy for the boy who tried to snatch it, causing him to fall to the ground instead of making off with it. Subsequently, Mrs. Jones gives him a kick and instructs him to pick up her pocketbook. Once he complies, she questions whether he feels any shame for his actions. The boy admits to feeling ashamed and tries to downplay his attempt, but Mrs. Jones sees through his pretence.

The boy proposes that he will leave immediately if he is released, but Mrs. Jones chooses not to release him. He appears to be approximately fifteen years old, appearing thin and frail with a dishevelled appearance. She then escorts him to her home around the corner so that he can wash his face. Although he is not particularly eager, Mrs. Jones reminds him that he initiated the interaction by bumping into her, leaving him with no real choice in the matter. She discovers, after stating that she will not take him to jail, that his name is Roger, and he has no one at home and no meal to eat.

Mrs. Jones decides to offer him food, assuming it was the reason he attempted to snatch her pocketbook. However, Roger reveals that he actually wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes, to which Mrs. Jones responds that he could have simply asked for help. After Roger finishes drying his face, there is a moment where he considers making a dash for the door and running away, but Mrs. Jones sits down and begins to speak. She shares with him that she, too, once desired things she couldn't obtain, and she engaged in actions she is not willing to disclose to him, or even to God, unless He already knows. Following this confession, she prepares a meal for Roger to eat.

She then rises and moves behind the screen, leaving her purse on the table with Roger and not bothering to glance back to check. Although he could take it and run, at that moment, he feels the weight of trust. He does not wish to be mistreated or distrusted by Mrs. Jones, and with this newfound sense of dignity, he offers to help her with buying milk or running errands, to which she responds that she doesn't need help unless he wants sweetened milk. They dine together, and Mrs. Jones shares details about her job and life. She refrains from inquiring about his own life or anything else that might cause him embarrassment. As she cuts him a piece of cake, she encourages him to "Eat more, son."

After they finish the meal and there is no further reason for Roger to stay, Mrs. Jones gives him ten dollars to purchase the new pair of blue suede shoes he desired. She makes him promise not to attempt to steal hers or anyone else’s pocketbooks now that he has the money, and instructs him to behave himself as she opens the front door for him to depart. Roger wants to express his gratitude with a "Thank you, Ma’am," but he struggles to articulate the words before she shuts the door, and the two of them never cross paths again.

Solved Textbook Exercises

I. Answer the following questions in a sentence each.

1. What did the woman do after she picked up the boy by his shirt front?

Ans.: - The woman grabbed the boy by the front of his shirt and shook him so hard that his teeth started to rattle.

2. What did the woman want to do to the boy's dirty face?

Ans.: - The woman wanted to wash the boy's dirty face.

3. What did Mrs. Jones tell Roger he should have done to buy his shoes instead of trying to snatch her purse?

Ans.: - Mrs. Jones advised Roger that he ought to have asked her rather than attempting to grab her purse.

4. What Should Roger do to make him look more presentable?

Ans.: - Roger ought to comb his hair in order to appear more presentable.

5. "Do you need someone to go to the store?" asked the boy. Why did the boy ask so?

Ans.: - The young man inquired, "Do you need somebody to go to the store?" This was his way of assuring the woman that he could be relied upon and was eager to assist.

II. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. How did the boy fall on the sidewalk?

Ans.: - When Roger, the boy, attempted to grab Mrs. Jones' purse and make a run for it, the purse's strap broke. The bag's weight caused him to lose his balance, and he tumbled onto the sidewalk, his legs flailing in the air.

2. "If you think that contact is not going to last awhile, you got another thing coming..."
Explain what Mrs. Jones meant by it.

Ans.: - Mrs. Jones indicated that if Roger believed their meeting wouldn't be lengthy, he needed to reconsider his expectations. She expressed, "If you think that contact is not going to last awhile, you got another thing coming..." to convey this message to Roger.

3. "Roger looked at the door - looked at the woman - looked at the door - and went to the sink."
Why did Roger not run away?

Ans.: - Roger refrained from running away due to his respect for Mrs. Jones' authority and his interest in her genuine concern and trust, despite his attempt to steal from her. Additionally, he was motivated by his desire for Mrs. Jones to continue trusting him and not to lose faith in him.

4. Do you think Mrs. Jones was completely free from any wrongdoing? Quote the relevant line from the text to support your answer.

Ans.: - Mrs. Jones was not entirely free from any wrongdoing, as indicated by the line she quoted: "I have done things, too, which I would not tell you, son, neither tell God if he didn't already know." This demonstrates that she had not completely avoided any wrongdoing.

5. "Eat some more, son." She said.
Comment on the significance of the line.

Ans.: - The above line demonstrates Mrs. Jones' nurturing and caring attitude towards Roger, treating him with kindness and motherly affection, despite the latter's attempt to steal her pocketbook.

III. Answer the following questions in about 80 words each.

1. Write how Roger ends up in Mrs. Jones' hall.

Ans.: - One evening at approximately 11 o'clock, Mrs. Jones was walking down a street when a boy named Roger suddenly approached her from behind and attempted to grab her purse. With a single tug, he broke the strap while trying to snatch it. However, luck was not on his side, as he lost his balance and, instead of making a quick getaway as he had intended, he fell onto the sidewalk on his back with his legs in the air. Seizing the opportunity, Mrs. Jones kicked him and then lifted him up by his shirt front. She proceeded to drag him down the street by his shirt front all the way to her home, ultimately bringing Roger into her hall.

2. Comment on Mrs. Jones' treatment of Roger at her home.

Ans.: - Mrs. Jones showed kindness to Roger because she empathised with his situation. She brought him to her home, prepared a meal for him, and treated him with care. It was evident that she could relate to his struggles, possibly having experienced similar challenges in her own life. Mrs. Jones advised Roger to freshen up and provided him with food, which he gratefully accepted. While she was stern, she imparted a valuable lesson to Roger about forgiveness and necessity. Despite not passing judgment on him, she looked after him for the duration of the evening.

3. "Well you didn't have to snatch my pocket book to get some suede shoes," said Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. "You could have asked me,"
Bring out the character of Mrs. Jones based on her above remark.

Ans.: - Mrs. Jones was a strong yet kind woman whom Roger tried to rob. Initially, she scolded him, but then, realising that he probably didn't have anyone to care for him, she took him to her home. This action established her as a motherly figure for the young boy. She aimed to guide the boy towards making better choices. She would have been pleased if Roger had simply asked her for money instead of trying to steal her pocketbook.